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Adam Silver Should Punish Lakers For Applying For Coronavirus Relief Fund

Ben Maller: “This is one of the darkest chapters for the Lakers. You thought it was bad when they were ending up in the lottery every year, but you cannot undersell how bad the optics look on this. There is no plausible excuse that would lead you to the conclusion that the Lakers are in the right on this. This is the textbook definition of TONE DEAF. If you are in a financial position like the Lakers, to even contemplate submitting paperwork for the loan in the first place is un-freaking-believable. They’re being totally obtuse to the situation and it’s like they’re living in this parallel dimension… The Lakers fanboys in the media are going to reach so hard that they’re going to pull a muscle trying to defend the Lakers franchise from these indefensible acts. This was set up to help the businesses who needed it the most – the mom and pop shops, and the small businesses who are struggling right now with most places closed… The Lakers are worth over 4 billion dollars!! You’re not a small business! We can rip the federal government and say ‘how the hell could they allow this?’ but to even have the hutzpah to file the paperwork? They have one of the largest television deals in America and get $150 million annually just from local broadcast revenue alone, and yet they still put their hand out for more money. Jeanie Buss has to be held accountable.” (Full Audio Above)

Listen to Ben Maller rip the Los Angeles Lakers for a bizarre recent story that exposed the Lakers for successfully applying for a $4.6 million loan from the federal government’s Payment Protection Program (PPP) that was created to provide small businesses with forgivable loans during the coronavirus pandemic.

Dubbed the ‘Small Business Loan’, the Lakers actually did qualify for the federal loans under the terms of the program. However, they quickly announced they were returning the $4.6 million, likely because of the putrid publicity that was hemorrhaging when the details broke on Monday.

The Lakers have been valued at $4.4 billion, and are considered one of the most glamorous franchise in the world. They aren’t the only major company who returned loans this week after ravaging public blowback.

Check out the video above as Maller details why the NBA needs to punish the Lakers for the startling move.